Teaching Students with Sensory Impairments
Technology and Medical Interventions
Margaret Griffin, M.Ed.Stud.
State Coordinator, Vision Impairment Service
Tasmania, Australia
I. Successful Technology in the Classroom
This paper will discuss technology solutions for students who have visual
impairment. Access to information, and the capacity to interact with that
information in a broad variety of ways, is fundamental to a rich curriculum
experience. Through provision of technology solutions that are viewed as
learning tools, students with visual impairment have greater opportunity to
achieve access and equity. The paper will describe four different students using
a variety of technology solutions. Their stories will demonstrate the importance of
educators providing students with a skill base that empowers each individual to
creatively solve problems and choose technology solutions that are effective for a
particular curriculum purpose. The studies will also provide evidence of how
current trends towards a “kit of tools” that are lightweight and portable are
enhancing students’ capacity for learning across home, school and community
settings. Before discussion of these students, the paper provides information on
factors which directly influence the success of technology in the classroom.
A. Key Technology Attributes
Technology that can provide an impact on students' learning requires a number
of attributes. These attributes have been identified by teachers (Tasmania,
2004-5) who have worked with students with visual impairment over extensive
time periods and include:
 Durability: The equipment needs to be strong and robust, withstanding usual
classroom activity and used inclusively within a range of classroom contexts.
 Reliability: If equipment is not reliable, students and their teams lose faith.
They will not have reason to commit to the ongoing work required to build an
effective skills base.
 Portability: Equipment that is portable enhances access. It expands learning
opportunities by giving students with visual impairment the ability to use their
tools in range of home, school and community environments. The capacity to
use learning experiences from all aspects of life positively influences students'
outcomes in the general school curriculum. Learning is not “static” and confined
to a conventional classroom arrangement.
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Lightweight: Where possible, lightweight solutions are an advantage, enabling
students to independently manage their equipment, and move easily between
different contexts.
Professional Support: Ongoing commitment from technology companies to
provide practical support as needed is another building block for classroom
success. It is not acceptable for students to experience “down time” because of
technical difficulties with equipment. Building partnerships with specialist
technology companies supports technology applications being used in a
sustained and effective manner.
Compatibility. This means that a technology solution can if necessary link in to
other equipment. For example, the Mountbatten Pro can interface with laptops
to move files and enable the successful movement of curriculum material.
Connectability. For key tools such as the Braille Note, the Pac Mate or the
Mountbatten Pro, the ability to connect to broader school networks enables
students to immediately access information in the medium of their choice.
B. Funding
Technology costs for solutions that provide refreshable Braille or sophisticated
magnification options are still considered high in comparison to mainstream
generic equipment. However, these new technologies provide students with the
ability to “transform printed information into a format or medium that meets their
needs” (G. Kapperman & J. Sticken, 2000, 501). It is therefore essential to
pursue the necessary funding to enable the purchase of quality technology
solutions.
One method of obtaining the appropriate level of funds to purchase equipment is
by building cooperation and collaboration between state education departments
and specialist support agencies. The consequent financial partnership enables
joint funds to purchase specific high cost technology components such as the
Braille Note or the Pac Mate, (electronic Braille notetakers) or to consider a
sophisticated magnification option like the My Reader (portable video magnifier).
In Tasmania, a partnership with Royal Guide Dogs Association, has secured the
funding required to purchase high quality options.
Some schools have developed a funding plan which enables the purchase of
hardware and software to be obtained over a two - three year plan (Tasmania,
2005). This approach has been beneficial for students who require access to
both auditory and Braille options within their program. In the first year the annual
funding would purchase a computer and the recommended specialist auditory
software program. In the second year, a refreshable Braille display unit could be
purchased and added to the computer. Now the student would have access to
both auditory and Braille. Refreshable Braille display units can connect to a
desktop or laptop and work in conjunction with screen reading programs
(Anderson, 2003).
Within state education departments, it is also important for educators to have
“longitudinal vision” by understanding that an initial economic investment
provides this student population with increased opportunities to achieve longterm educational success. Other researchers in the area of vision impairment,
including Kapperman and Sticken (1996) and D’Andrea & Barnicle (1997) directly
connect success in schooling and employment to each individual’s ability to gain
access to information. Andersen (2003) provides useful information on the range
of funding sources available in different parts of the United States.
C. Partnerships with Specialist Technology Companies
Specialist companies with specific expertise in assistive technology can work
extensively with teachers, students and families to share their knowledge. The
purpose of their work is to ensure that equipment capabilities are practically
understood, and a working knowledge of the equipment is developed by the
student and their support team. Professional learning is a continuing process in
building capacity with the user and their supporting families, schools and teams.
For schools and families in rural remote areas, access to support is particularly
important in ensuring that equipment is used optimally. Manuals rarely enable
“here and now problem-solving.”
Some examples of the strategies (Tamanian Resource Teacher Team, 2004 - 5)
that may build partnerships include:
 utilising the expertise of senior company representatives in direct professional
learning workshops which involve students, class teachers and families.
 establishing company phone support in the form a help-line.
 interschool visits to share and review how particular technology is being used.
 sponsoring the development of specialized technology newsletters which aim
to give students, schools and families information on how technology is being
used.
All these strands can contribute to effective technology use and operation. At the
“coal face” in everyday practical classroom activities, the specialist knowledge
that is developed through collaboration and partnership sustains the role of
equipment as an enabling technology opening new learning pathways.
D. Assistive Technology Review
Considerable time is required to review new assistive technology. A review
process involves gathering information, trialing equipment within the school and
home setting, and then providing formal and informal feedback on the features
and suitability of particular equipment. Teachers, students and families need to
actively contribute to the review process. The review process addresses specific
questions which include:
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What is the cost of this piece of technology?
How does it assist the student to access the curriculum?
How does it improve or extend on their existing access to information?
What skills are required to operate the technology efficiently and
effectively?
Student participation in the review process assists the development of critical
thinking skills about how technology is meaningful within the program. For
example, a grade 6 student recently reviewed the Quicklook Hand Held Magnifier
(Tasmania, 2004). The Quicklook is described in more detail later in this chapter.
Firstly the student was provided with a Quicklook for a four-week trial period.
During this period, the student’s observations and experiences of the positive
and negative aspects of this portable video magnifier were formally recorded in a
table format.
My Quicklook
Reviewing My Quicklook
School, Home, What I Used My Comments
Community
It For
Setting
Rating
This information was formally shared with her supporting team at an IEP
meeting. As a consequence, the team had an informed view on how the
Quicklook could assist the student with incidental learning with environmental
print in both home and community settings.
Teachers can also obtain more formal product reviews from publications such as
Access World, or through more formal evaluations in specialist journals of vision
impairment. A range of leading educators contribute to these publications. A
range of researchers including Andersen (2003) and D’Andrea and Barnicle
(1997) have suggested the following ways of keeping up to date with change:
 attendance at national technology conferences
 the organization of technology expos to showcase new equipment
 participation in on-line discussions with other teachers using particular
technology solutions
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building links between students and adults who are successfully
integrating the use of technology into careers and daily life.
In 2005, Tasmania will trial the “Jot A Dot,” a Braille notepad which is lightweight,
low-cost and intended for incidental daily Braille writing in the same way as a pad
and pencil might be used. The review will involve:
 Loan of a Jot a Dot directly from the supplier to three students who are
blind
 Formal observations by teachers of use within school setting
 Feedback from participating students
 Collection of information and formal discussion of outcomes via each
student’s IEP meeting.
E. Upgrading Hardware and Software
Upgrading equipment and software is an essential part of maintaining relevant
and functional technology options for students with visual impairment. If
computers have limited RAM (random access memory) and/or an inefficient
processing speed, they cannot run assistive software programs effectively and
enable students to work at the same rate as other students. Students with visual
impairments' computer equipment (desktop or laptop) also needs to be
compatible with their school technology networks. This is because all students
are expected to integrate internet research skills, email, and other on-line
activities into their everyday classroom program. In many schools students
require access to the intra-net for information to complete particular subject
assignments. If student’s individual equipment cannot connect into the broader
school network, the student is disadvantaged.
E-1. Visual Screen Technology: Key types of assistive technology
(Kapperman & Sticken, 2000) which enable access to visual screen information
include:
 screen enlargement options that provide each student with the capacity to
customize the screen to particular requirements. Zoomtext and Magic are
two examples of sophisticated enlargement software. These programs
also have auditory options enabling further choice in how they interact with
print. This type of software is regularly updated to ensure that it works
efficiently with changes in operating systems.
 screen reading programs that enable students to navigate the computer
by auditory options. JAWS and Window Eyes are examples of this type of
program. Additionally these programs can connect with Braille display
units.
 software that converts information to Braille has the capacity to store a
Braille file and provide the student with Braille copy by either a refreshable
Braille display or hard Braille copy.
In each case, there is an ongoing need to ensure that the latest version of the
software is available as this provides the compatibility with latest hardware
operating systems. Companies such as Freedom Scientific offer discounts on
the cost of upgrading to the latest version software by the purchase of a Software
Maintenance Agreements (SMA). The SMA provides concessions to the cost of
upgrades.
E-2. Braille Note-Takers: Other specialist equipment (electronic Braille
note-takers) also requires upgrading. The development of email, internet and
media player capability for the Braille Note is an example of how specialist
companies have recognized students' needs to access the same programs as all
students. These features could be obtained by purchasing upgraded hardware
(motherboard) and software for older Braille Notes. Alongside their peers,
students can now email teachers, receive feedback on-line, and participate more
effectively in all aspects of the curriculum. Braille Notes purchased after 2003
had these features as part of standard components. Further information on the
Braille Note is available at www.humanware.com.
The Mountbatten range of Braille computers is another example of how specialist
technology has been upgraded over the last 7 years. The Mountbatten Pro is the
latest version of this Braille computer. It has a broader range of features than the
original Mountbatten. The features are described in more detail on the Quantum
website at www.quantech.com.au. In particular, the new Mountbatten Pro offers
more refined auditory options and easier connections with mainstream
computers. In this state (Tasmania, 2004-5), these features were considered
important for young learners beginning Braille and students using Braille as a
secondary medium.